International CampsSpring, Summer

and WinterBoys and Girls

aged 6 –17 years

www.leselfes.com

Switzerland

04Les Elfes, Verbier,

Campus,Safety, Staff,

Meals & Languages

06Summer Camp

08 Winter Camp

10Spring Camp

12Discovery Camp La Tzoumaz

14Testimonials

Les Elfes, established in 1987, is a family-run business with over 30 years’ experience in providing safe, challenging and educational experiences for young people. Our camps are nestled in the Swiss Alps and the variety of mountains, forests, lakes and open spaces offer a playground for outdoor adventures. The camp operates year-round and it is packed with activities from skiing and snowboarding to hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking, leadership training and language studies.

Verbier, SwitzerlandVerbier, the original home of Les Elfes, is situated in the French speaking part of Switzerland and only two hours away from Geneva. Verbier's stunning location on a south facing plateau guarantees an exceptionally sunny climate in both summer and winter.In addition to the breathtaking panoramic views, Verbier is one of the most famous resorts in Europe and offers variety of sport and leisure activities all year round in a cosmopolitan and relaxed atmosphere.

Our Verbier Campus→ Beautiful Swiss chalets which are privately owned and purpose built

→ Separate chalets for boys and girls

→ Sports facilities including football, basketball, volleyball and table tennis

→ Games Room, Cinema Room and spacious open-planned Lounge/Dining rooms opening onto a terrace with stunning views of the mountains and BBQ

→ En-suite rooms for 2–4 students

→ Positioned next to an indoor Sports Centre with indoor and outdoor pools

An international atmosphere with campers from 65+ countries and a diverse team of staff.

LES ELFES, VERBIER, CAMPUS, SAFETY, STAFF, MEALS & LANGUAGES

Staff and SafetySafety is our main priority at Les Elfes. All of our staff are experienced in working with children and undergo training in First Aid, Fire Safety, Water Safety and specific activity training with Swiss mountain guides. Our nurse, a night guard and a doctor-on-call ensure continuous supervision and professional care of the youngsters. Unlike in many similar camps, at Les Elfes our staff work year-round. We maintain a strong team of staff so the level of safety in all activities is very high and campers can return each year to visit their favourite counsellors. Our ratio of students to staff on activities is 5:1 with an overall ratio of 2:1 including our wider team of managers, drivers, kitchen team, administrative staff and cleaning.

MealsOur camps are fully catered with a varied international menu, freshly prepared and well balanced for a day full of activities. We cater for all dietary requirements and we are happy to tailor our menu to suit the needs of our campers. With such a busy programme students will often enjoy their lunch at one of our restaurants or lunch rooms on the mountain where they will receive hot meals with stunning views across the valley.

Language CoursesAt Les Elfes we offer 8-period language tuition a week. Youngsters who wish to learn a new language or improve their conversational skills can choose among English, French, Spanish, German or Mandarin. The intensive (optional) programs of 15-period tuition a week are also available. In the end of the session students receive a language certificate, signed and graded by their Verbier Language School teacher.

Adventurous activities built on a well-established

foundation of professional

and safe practices

04

Holistic personal development through

culturally diverse experiences

SUMMER CAMP

3 Age GroupsFor each different age group, we have specially designed courses so that our new campers can find a challening programme packed with outdoor activities and our returning campers can develop their skills and continue to progress both personally and linguistically each summer.

Discovery Camp (6–10 yrs)

At Les Elfes we know our youngest Elves need plenty of extra care and attention. When they come to us it is often their first time away from home and a big experience meeting new people, trying new activities and even eating new foods. Our dedicated Discovery staff offer sensitive guidance and clear structure so our youngest campers can enjoy a programme packed with fun and challenges to suit even our sportiest of little ones. Learn more about our new Discovery Camp at La Tzoumaz with specially designed sessions and programs for our youngest ones (page 12).

Explorer Camp (11–14 yrs)

Our Explorer programme offers a chance for our campers to experience all of the adventures the Alps have to offer. Full of challenges our Explorer programme invites our campers to be creative, daring and independent. With adventures from start to finish campers can step out of their comfort zone, push their boundaries and make new friendships with peers from around the world.

Pioneer Camp (15–17yrs)

A truly exhilarating programme which challenges our eldest campers to push their boundaries. Our Pioneers are a vibrant and energetic group of teenagers, many of whom are preparing for being away from home in a couple of years at university or college. Les Elfes is a valuable step for many of our campers to gain confidence in becoming independent young adults.

ActivitiesRock climbing, hiking, mountain biking, disco, international day, banana boating, kayaking, high ropes, stand up paddle, laser tag, basketball, bridges winging, escape rooms, mini Olympics, aqua park, trotinettes, orienteering, tubing, quiz night, tennis, mini golf, football, camping and mountain hut trips, swimming, hockey and many more.

Cultural ExcursionsFrom excellence in engineering, gastronomy, banking, international peace-keeping and artisan chocolates, Switzerland is a nation steeped in tradition. With excursions around Switzerland and even nearby France and Italy students can discover more about this unique part of Europe.

More than just a Summer CampWith many camps offering language courses and sports, students are increasingly looking for a summer experience with that little bit more. Each year we introduce new enrichment workshops into our programs, some examples include: Swiss Watch Making, Leadership, Career Guidance, Mountain Fitness and Nutrition, Emergency 1st Aid Training and Social Etiquette. Furthermore, we offer our campers a solid foundation for personal development by engaging them into public speaking and various team building activities.

International Camp→ A hub for international young people from 65+ countries

→ A reputation for quality language courses with conversational, intensive and private options.

→ Ideal for families looking for a Day Camp programs for their children

06

A summer adventure with over 40 different outdoor activities, quality language classes and discovery of Switzerland with new friends from all over the world.

Outdoor learning which enables young people to discover

their true potential to be dynamic and

prosperous in their future

lives

Not Only Skiing and SnowboardingAlongside our full-day ski and snowboard lessons Les Elfes offers a full programme of après-ski and evening activities. Students can choose from a range of activities including sledging, igloo building, torchlight hike, disco, ice skating, design and build challenges, swimming, indoor rock climbing, quiz night, football, basketball, hockey, snowman building and many, many more.

Ski and Snowboard lessonsOur lessons are split into morning and afternoon sessions. In the morning campers learn new skills and techniques with their instructor and after lunch their instructor guides them around the mountain so that they can practice and consolidate these new skills. Our groups are small with 2-8 students per instructor and our instructors are fully qualified and trained in partnership with Ecole Suisse de Ski Verbier, the offical Swiss ski school in Verbier.

Mountain LunchesFeast on hot, freshly prepared lunches right on the slopes with our professional kitchen team serving meals from a selection of Les Elfes private restaurants and dining rooms on the mountain. After skiing our campers can relax with a steaming hot chocolate and selection of après-ski snacks with their instructors to finish a rewarding day of adventures.

WINTERCAMP

Winter Camp at Les Elfes→ Ateamoffully-qualifiedand experienced instructors

→ Full day ski tuition

→ Small class sizes of 2–8 students per instructor

→ An opportunity to progress year-on-year with a clear structure for continued development

→ Certificatedlevelswithdetailedcriteria for assessment

→ 24/7 supervision

→ Full programme of après-ski and evening activities

→ Language Courses included in the price with an option to extend to Intensive language programs for an additional fee

→ Cultural Excursions in Switzerland,

France and Italy to discover more of the Alps

Equipment Hire→ Skis

→ Snowboard

→ Helmet

→ Poles

→ Ski and snowboard boots

→ Ski jacket

→ Ski trousers

Ski in the largest lift-linked ski domain in Switzerland with almost 100 lifts accessing over 400 km of pistes.

08

Experience today, remember

forever!

This is spring camp, a unique opportunity to visit the two prestigious resorts of Zermatt and Verbier in a two-week course and to really experience everything the Swiss Alps have to offer. Alongside two weeks of adventures Les Elfes focuses on the holistic development of our campers to make the most of this residential opportunity.

Enrichment CoursesStudents can select an enrichment course, consisting of 8 two-hour sessions spread over the two weeks each with a different focus. Examples of our prior courses include: Ethical Leadership, Advanced Mountain Biking, Building Resilience in Leadership, Social Etiquette, Web Identity and Online Security, Bushcraft and Emergency 1st Aid and Eco Attitudes. For courses available this spring, please visit our website for the most up-to-date opportunities.

Imagine a programme with one week of summer and one week of winter camp: rock climbing, paragliding, bridge swinging and hiking one week and skiing, snowboarding and throwing snowballs the next.

SPRING CAMP

Young Camper Experiences→ Building courage, working together and taking risks – Supporting peers in challenging situations, stepping out of their comfort zones and recognising their own value in a team.

→ Forming the basis for a balanced and healthy lifestyle – Understanding the role and importance of physical activity for wellbeing and happiness and building lifelong healthy habits. Appreciating that the outdoors provides opportunities for recreation, relaxation or even future careers.

→ Being curious, creative and connected – Developing appreciation for the natural world around us, exploring and being comfortable in wild terrain and finding new ways to enjoy being outside.

→ Forming an active part of a camp community – Taking an active role in creating a welcoming and supportive environment in the camp, embracing open-mindedness and meeting students from around the world.

→ Buildingresilience,confidenceandindependence – Being away from home students will need to manage their belongings, timekeeping and dress themselves properly for the wild outdoors.

360 degree learning which focuses on developing

the soft skill needed to excell in a competitive

world

10

First Time Away From HomeCamp is full of new things, new places, new foods, new people and new adventures and it is a really special experience for our youngest Elves, but it can also be a daunting prospect for them and for their parents. Ensuring their happiness and wellbeing throughout the camp and helping them to manage away from home is our main priority in our Discovery Camp La Tzoumaz. Our La Tzoumaz camp offers an adapted programme from our main campus which is a little shorter than the sessions at the main camp. It is a specially designed programme of day, afternoon and evening activities to help our young Elves grow, step outside of their comfort zones and discover new things. With the right structure and support camp is an empowering experience which enables our youngsters to become more confident and to build self-esteem.

BabysittingWe monitor students in brushing their teeth, tidying their belongings, separating their clean and dirty clothes, brushing their hair, dressing suitably for activities, showering regularly, keeping in contact with their parents each evening, managing their time to squeeze in the most fun and even budgeting their pocket money.

ActivitiesOur Discovery programme is packed with new adventures: treasure hunt, biking, arts and crafts, pj party, rock climbing, football, design and build, mountain hut night, high ropes course, baking workshops, hiking, team building, quiz night, mini Olympics, high ropes, aqua park, orienteering, disco, swimming, campfire and many more…

Young Camper AttitudesAt Les Elfes we strive to install positive attitudes in our young campers that will help them to cope with any new experiences in the future:

→ Independence – Being away from home, managing their own belongings, learning to care for the equipment they use and the camp environment they are a part of.

→ Resilience – Learning that making a mistake is often the first step but that it does not need to be the final one. Learning to work in a team to complete difficult tasks.

→ Confidence – Learning to cope in an unfamiliar setting, trying new activities in a safe and supportive environment.

→ Self-Worth – Recognising their value to a group, the importance of their actions and the affect they can have on a wider camp atmosphere.

→ Appreciation – Understanding that it is a privilege to have the opportunity to be at camp and to enjoy the natural beauty in the Swiss Alps.

→ Open-Mindedness – Inviting new experiences, meeting students from 65+ countries and learning to share the campus with a diverse group of people.

DISCOVER CAMPLA TZOUMAZ (6–10 yrs)

12

New to Les Elfes for Summer

at La Tzoumaz, Switzerland

Discover more and broaden your horizons with these immersive programmes in the Swiss Alps

“Arnaud is now back home after 10 days at Les Elfes. He had great time; he succeeded to break into English schools teens which were at Les Elfes the 1st week of his stay and had a great time; he also took the initiative to do snowboarding for the last 3 days. By moving out of his way for the 2 above mentioned initiatives that means that your colleagues gave him confidence in himself and the spirit of “Les Elfes” works. Many thanks. – Arnaud’s parents

“My son Clement has just come back from his stay in Verbier. I think that at the end this experience has been very beneficial to him: he is for sure more fluent in English than before and he has really enjoyed the sport activities. I would like then to thank you for the opportunity given to my son. – Clement’s parents

“Thank you so much for making Adrian’s stay at Les Elfes one of his most memorable life experiences. He enjoyed it so much so his first statement to us when we met him at the camp was, I want to be here next year! While returning back to Sweden, he has already chatted with his new pals from India and USA. And he really liked all the leaders, the food, the activities and of course all his new friends. Thank you so much and I feel very much proud to be a part of Les Elfes! With best regards. – Adrian’s parents

“It’s my third time here and every year it just gets better and better. Activities are always fun and all of the staff are super nice and friendly (Kevin, Tanja, Vendy, Aga, Eddie, Lucasz). Every time I needed something they were there for me and always helped me. The food was also very nice and tasty. I am definitely coming back next year. The best camp ever! – Anonymous, 2016

1. Make lifelong friends There is no better place to create lasting bonds with others than the experience of being away at camp. Spending 2-4 weeks with a new group of people, sharing adventures and supporting each other when things get tough. It is something they will remember for the rest of their lives!

2. Develop life skills Do not underestimate how important it is for children to learn to socialise. At camp students come from around the world, often not knowing anyone and in their first few days they have the chance to make brand new friends and to learn to speak to new people. They will have the chance to learn to organise their belongings, manage their own pocket money and plan some of their own activities, making choices about the experiences they have. Being at camp is a really formative experience and an invaluable one in learning to become an adult.

3. Gain confidence & build self-esteemStudents learn that they have the capacity to cope without their parents, to make friends and to have adventures alone. It is a really empowering experience and will ultimately enable them to be more confident and to build self-esteem. It is a great confidence booster for those who are about to travel for boarding school or college.

4. Experience a range of cultures Where else can children develop friendships with other children from all over the world at the same time? The huge melt pot of diversity at Les Elfes enables students to build lasting relationships with students from the other side of the world and perhaps even visit them someday.

5. Un-plug for a little while It would be an easy option for most children to while away their summer watching television or playing on their iPads, but there is so much more out there! At camp we do allow students to use the phones each day to speak with their families and friends at home but, for the most part, their electronics are locked away, freeing them up to try all of the new activities on offer. In our experience, after day 3 students stop even asking for their phone every day, they are too busy having fun!

6. Try something newCamp is full of new things, new foods, new activities, new people. It is a place which is exciting, exhilarating and sometimes a little bit scary, but it is those experiences shared with others in the groups which help to form these strong, long lasting friendships that we value.

TESTIMONIALS 6 REASONSTO SEND YOUR CHILD TO CAMP

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“The children were very happy about the experience. I had a 2 hour drive to Geneva with all the fantastic stories about their Elfes experience. Pretty uncommon in these times of self-immersion in our own smartphone devices. They loved everything, their teachers, the ski, their new international friends, the food, etc. I also want to express my personal gratitude for your quick response to make the changes during the first week, and keeping the level up during the second one. With your level of curiosity to continue listening and learning, there is no limit where Les Elfes can grow. – Father of Delfina, Milagros, Santiago and uncle of Carlos

“I just loved the camp! I was only there for one week, and I thought that it was going to be terrible. But everyone was so friendly and kind, I socialized really easily. And skiing was so much fun. I had never skied before in my life. But I had a really good instructor, who taught me well. I kept on falling, but he picked me back up and told me that I'll do better next time. My favourite part of the camp was the excursion. We went to Aosta, Italy, we toured a castle, ate pizza and gelato and also did a lot of shopping (which was my favourite part of the excursion). When it was prize giving night, all of us kids were excited. I think I was the most happy because I won star camper of the week! There were more activities that I participated in, like the musical quiz, ice skating, cooking clubs, disco night and a movie night. When I left, I felt really sad. I was sad to say bye to my new friends, to say bye to the staff, and to skiing. What I experienced at Les Elfes, I won't experience anywhere else. The hospitality at Les Elfes was just like home. You feel like it's one big family. And trust me, anyone will love it! Fingers crossed that I'll come back next year. – Meron

“Dear Ben, Hope, Sergio and Elliot, Thank you for everything you’ve done. You guys have brought the best in me and made me not just a better skier, but also a better person. It had been a great week and by far the best skiing experience I’ve ever had. It couldn’t have been possible without you. I’m grateful to have been taught by all of you and I am proud to have called myself your student. – Ashlyn

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ADDRESS

Les Elfes InternationalHead Offi ceRue du Centre Sportif, 20PO Box 174 1936 Verbier SwitzerlandPhone: +41 27 775 35 90Fax: +41 27 775 35 99info@leselfes.comwww.leselfes.com

LES ELFES PARTNERS

Bramble SkiOperates catered and self-catered luxury chalets and apartments in the exclusive resort of Verbier.www.brambleski.com

W Hotel VerbierW Hotels‘ fi rst alpine escape; W Hotel & Residences is the fi rst international hotel chain to establish a presence in Verbier. www.wverbier.com

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"The purpose in life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experiences"

Eleanor Roosevelt

For further information or bookings, contact our Les Elfes Verbier head offi ce or your local agent.

ASK FOR YOUR AGENT

Europe

Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Russia, Scandinavia, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Bulgaria, Moldavia, Sweden, Finland, Romania, Latvia, Estonia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom

North America

USA (Boston, Miami, New York), Canada

Americas

Brazil (Rio de Janeiro, São Paolo), Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, Uruguay, Chile

Middle East

Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar

Asia

Hong-Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, Kazakhstan, Vietnam

Oceania

Australia, New Zealand

Africa

Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Tunisia, Tanzania

ECIS ( European Council of International Schools )NCA ( National Camp Association Inc. )MAIS ( Mediterranean Association of International Schools )NESA ( Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools )EARCOS ( East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools )AISA ( Association of International Schools in Africa )BSME ( British Schools in the Middle East )

Les Elfes International is a member of

Verbier Tourism

Switzerland Tourism

YOUR AGENT

Our associates

Photos: ©Les Elfes, Verbier